Emmanuel Tavarez, 30, an 8-year veteran of the NYPD who was busted today as part of a violent crew that dressed as cops to rob drug dealers, began his crooked scheme even before he joined the academy, according to court papers.

Beginning in 2001, the officer, who joined the department a year later, was part of a crew that targeted drug dealers in Manhattan, Queens and Philadelphia, making fake arrests with real police equipment, according to an indictment unsealed yesterday in Brooklyn Federal Court.

Tavarez, with the help of his in-laws, “arrested” drug dealers, shook down their lairs and confiscated 250 kilos of cocaine — scoring over $2 million in drug money over a seven-year period, the feds said.

Federal prosecutors said Tavarez took part in over 100 robberies, supplying the crew with NYPD raid jackets, fake Miranda cards, bulletproof vests, badges, guns and other tools of law enforcement.

Sometimes Tavarez participated in the robberies raiding drug dens with his band of marauders dressed as cops on a drug raid. Other times he acted as lookout to warn the thuggish band if cops were on their way, prosecutors said.

“On more than one occasion, Tavarez also handed his firearm to a member of the robbery crew to embolden him to go through with a robbery,” according to a letter from Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Meyer.

The band also rigged their cars with lights and sirens to look like undercover vehicles and drove convoy style to make their scores, authorities said.

DEA agents busted eight of the 15-member crew in 2008, intercepting them in Queens during a sting operation on their way to bogus bust, cops said.

Tavarez was also charged with conspiracy to distribute some of his ill-gotten drugs.

The alleged cop-gone-bad cut a hulking figure in Brooklyn federal court, as he scanned the courtroom, wearing a tight blue T-shirt and track suit pants.

The Housing Authority cop, who is currently assigned to the rubber gun squad in a Queens housing project, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in front of Magistrate Judge Raymond Reyes.

He was remanded into federal custody until Tuesday, May 11, when his lawyer said he will apply for bail.

“The defendant is alleged to have committed serious crimes and compounded that by violating the very law he was sworn to uphold,” stated US Attorney Loretta Lynch. “The charged conduct unfairly tarnishes the proud reputation of the thousands of law enforcement officers in New York who put their lives on the line every day to protect our residents and their communities.”